Device for launching and sailing bottle caps and the like



Aug. 22, 1961 M. F. FEHN 2,997,039

DEVICE FOR LAUNCHING AND SAILING BOTTLE CAPS AND THE LIKE Filed Sept.16, 1959 Bk 22 Hr\ INVENTOR.

9 5. W LI iI" ATTORNEY 2,997,039 DEVICE FOR' LAUNCHING AND SAILINGBOTTLE CAPS AND THE LIKE Michael F. Fehn, 335 Unruh Ave., Philadelphia,Pa. Filed Se t. 16, "1959, Ser. No. 840,465 2 Claims. (Cl. 124- 5) Thisinvention relates to a toy, and more particularly concerns a device forlaunching and sailing bottle caps and the like.

People have for many years been amused by sailing bottle caps, coins,stones, and the like, through the air. This sailing has beenaccomplished for the most part by throwing the articles with the hand.However, articles such as bottle caps, when launched by the unaidedhand, travel only a limited distance and do not sail as high and as faras desired.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a device forsailing bottle caps: which enables the operator to sail such bottle capshigh and far and for a distance in excess of 200 feet.

It is another object of this invention to provide a bottle cap sailingdevice which enables the operator to sail the bottle caps in any desiredpath, whether it be straight, curved, up or down.

It is another object to provide a bottle cap sailing device which may beused with either hand.

It is another object to provide a bottle cap sailing device which may bequickly and easily loaded.

It is another object of this invention to provide a bottle cap sailingdevice which gives a spin to the bottle cap as it is being propelledtherefrom.

Other objects and advantages of this invention, including its simple andinexpensive construction, will further become apparent hereinafter andin the drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a view in top plan of a bottle cap sailing device constructedin accordance with this invention;

FIG. 2 is a view in cross section taken as indicated by the lines andarrows IIII which appear in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a view in cross section taken by the lines and arrows III-IIIwhich appear in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is a view in perspective which illustrates the action of theoperator as he manipulates the device to propel a bottle cap therefrom,the full lines showing the start of the whipping action, and thedot-dash lines showing the finish of the whipping action with the bottlecap emerging from the device.

Although specific terms are used in the following description forclarity, these terms are intended to refer only to the structure shownin the drawings and are not intended to define or limit the scope of theinvention.

Turning now to the specific embodiment of the invention selected forillustration in the drawings, there is shown a device for launching andsailing bottle caps and the like which comprises an elongated barrel 11,an end panel 12 formed at one end of barrel 11, an exit 13 formed at theother end of the barrel 11, a loading entrance 14 formed in the barrelnear end panel 12, and a hand grip 15 which extends from barrel 11. Handgrip 15 serves the functions of positioning the hand of the operatorwhile launching a bottle cap and of preventing barrel 11 from slippingfrom the hand of the operator as it is being manipulated with a whippingmotion to cause the bottle caps to soar into the air.

Barrel 11 is preferably of rectangular cross-section having a top panel16, a bottom panel 17, and two side panels 18 and 19.

Bottle cap 22 includes a top member 23 and a side member 24 which isserrated along its height.

Hand grip 15 is preferably formed of a part of barrel States Patent 9Patented Aug. 22, 1961 ice 11 which is peeled back to provide loadingentrance 14. Loading entrance 14 provides for quick and easy loading ofbarrel 11 and eliminates the necessity of loading barrel 11 through exit13. Hand grip 15 is curved to fit the 5 fingers and prevent barrel 11from slipping from the operators hand.

Loading entrance 14 is formed in side panel 18 and its height (thedistance between top panel 16 and bottom panel -17) is greater than theheight of bottle cap side member 24 and smaller than the diameter ofbottle cap top member 23, so as to admit bottle cap 22 in a sidewaysmanner and confine the top and bottom of cap 22.

In operation, the barrel 11 is grasped by the hand of the operator inthe manner shown in FIG. 4 with the fingers being positioned by the handgrip 15, and bottle cap 22 is placed in side barrel 11 through loadingentrance 14. Then the hand is manipulated with a whipping motion tocause bottle cap 22 to move along the inside of barrel I I to belaunched from exit 13. During this whipping motion, the serrated sidemember 24 of bottle cap 22 rotates the length of the barrel 11. againstthe interior of side panel 19 to thereby acquire a spin which causes thebottle cap 22 to soar into the air and sail therein.

Hand grip 15 prevents the barrel '11 from slipping from the grasp of theoperator, especially when the whipping motion is stopped suddenly toforcibly eject bottle cap 22.

One bottle cap may be launched from the device or several may belaunched at the same time, as desired. Bottle caps launched by thedevice sail high and far, inexcess of 200 feet, and follow a straightpath, a curved path, or go up or down as desired, depending on how theoperator holds and manipulates the device.

The device of this invention may be used by either hand, and is quicklyand easily loaded through loading entrance 14. The action of theserrations of bottle cap side member 24 against the length of theinterior of side panel 19 gives a spin to bottle cap 22 as it is beingpropelled from the apparatus.

It is to be understood that the form of the invention herewith shown anddescribed is to be taken as a preferred embodiment. Various changes maybe made in the shape, size and arrangement of parts. For example,equivalent elements may be substituted for those illustrated anddescribed herein, parts may be reversed, and certain features of the'invention may be utilized independently of the use of other featuresfallwithout departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as definedin the subjoined claims.

The claimed invention:

1. A toy for launching and sailing bottle caps comprising an elongatedbarrel, an end panel formed at one end of said barrel, said barrel beingopen at the other end to form an exit, a loading entrance formed in thebarrel near said end panel for admitting said bottle caps, and a handgrip positioned adjacent said loading entrance and extending from saidbarrel for positioning the hand of the operator while launching thebottle cap and for providing a stop for the fingers to prevent said toyfrom slipping from the hand when said toy is being used with a whippingmotion to cause caps to soar into the air, said hand grip being formedfrom the barrel and extending away from said loading entrance to provideboth the hand grip and the loading entrance.

2. Bottle cap sailing apparatus comprising a bottle cap having a topmember and a serrated side member, an elongated barrel of rectangularcross-section having a top, bottom, and two side panels, an end panelformed at one end of said barrel, said barrel being open at the otherend to form an exit, a loading entrance formed 6 in one of said sidepanels adjacent said end panel, the height of said loading entrancebeing larger than the height of said bottle cap side member and smallerthan the diameter of said bottle cap side member so as to admit saidbottle cap in a sideways manner and confine the top and bottom of thecap, and a hand grip positioned adjacent said loading entrance andextending in a curved manner from said barrel for positioning the handof the operator while launching the bottle cap and for providing a stopfor the fingers to prevent said barrel from slipping from the hand whensaid barrel is being manipulated with a whipping motion to cause saidbottle cap serrated side member to rotate the length of the barrelinterior and cause said bottle cap to soar into the air and sailtherein, said hand grip being formed from the barrel and extending awayfrom said loading entrance to provide both the hand grip and the loadingentrance.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

